WHAT SUN’S INSIDERS EXPECT

Survey of Clean Technology Leaders Indicates Continued Bumps Near Term, But Strong Future
October 12, 2011 (Cooley LLP)

"Only 18 percent of clean technology executives and investors think the federal government will play a larger role in funding clean tech innovation in the future, while 40 percent believe the federal government will play a smaller role…42 percent believe it will remain relatively unchanged. This is according to a survey of 128 clean tech industry leaders conducted last week by Cooley LLP.

"An overwhelming majority (74 percent) of respondents, which included investors, entrepreneurs, and other thought leaders, believe that both interest and investment in clean tech will increase over the next five years. Yet, an even higher number (79 percent) see significant challenges to their companies or investments achieving desired near- to mid-term growth and profitability."

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"The top challenges cited by U.S. clean energy and technology company leaders…[were] access to capital (79 percent)… weak economic conditions (63 percent)…[and] the need for stronger public policy and incentives (39 percent) supporting the United States' position as a global clean tech leader…

"The foremost factor named as critical to driving new clean tech investment is the need for an increase in high-value exits, such as IPOs, mergers, and acquisitions (35 percent)...This was by far the major factor for investors (62 percent). Entrepreneurs voiced their number-one potential driver as an increase in oil and gas prices (29 percent)…[next was] a new round of high-value clean tech company exits (27 percent), and major technological breakthroughs (25 percent)…"